Effect of freezing under electrostatic field on the quality of lamb meat

• The effect of electrostatic freezing on lamb meat quality was investigated.
• The quality attributes (drip loss and texture) were better maintained in comparison with the control sample.
• The size of ice crystals was decreased by 60% between control and higher field level.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of electrostatic field treatment on the quality attributes of frozen lamb meat. The static external electric field was applied at the intensities of E = 0–5.8 × 104 V/m during freezing at − 20 °C. Following freezing under electrostatic field, meat samples were thawed and their quality characteristics such as drip loss, texture, and colour were assessed by instrumental methods. Light microscopy technique was used to investigate the microstructure of meat. Results showed that electrostatic field application during freezing led to the significant microstructural changes in meat tissue. The average ice crystal size in the meat samples frozen under 5.8 × 104 V/m electric field decreased up to 60% in comparison to the conventional freezing process. It was also found that the drip loss decreased with increasing the electrostatic field strength. The colour and hardness of the meat were not significantly influenced by electric field.Industrial relevanceThis study gives significant information about the effect of electrostatic freezing on the quality of meat. It shows the effectiveness of electrostatic for decreasing the size of ice crystals and helps maintain the quality of meat during freezing. Since this method requires less energy and causes less damage to food the industrial application of this technology is growing.